8:31 am yesterday (6 April), I got a call from my good brother, Yemisi Fadairo. He calls as often as possible, so I had no unusual feeling. After the pleasantries, he said: “Our friend is no more”. I was almost certain who that friend could be, but in matters of finality, which death is, I refrain from speculation. So I pretended I didn’t have an idea who that was. Then Yemisi said: “Sola Lawal”. As he spoke, Sola’s body (which ended its earthly journey earlier that day) was on its way from Lagos to his Ile-Ife home for burial, according to Islamic rites.
Sola was a great guy in all ways. But he was unconventional as great folks most often are. I remember Sola being asked to supervise late night production one evening. The highwire politics at The Post Express (where we both worked from 1996 to 1998) had resulted in the merger of the Saturday and Sunday titles into Weekend Post Express. I was Deputy Editor for the Sunday edition and was deployed to play the same role in the new weekend edition. Our boss of life, Ndaeyo Uko, had been moved out of relevance to hold an inconsequential position.
Sola had absolutely nothing against the former Saturday editor (now Late Emeka Nwankpa), who had just been made Weekend editor. But his rebellious self protested the unwarranted decision. Sola abandoned production before 11 pm when he was meant to work till almost dawn.
I got back the next Monday to meet an editor who could barely hold back his anger. Emeka was that easy-going guy who could barely raise his voice. But he managed to do just that on that occasion, complaining that there was no one from the old Sunday team on production. It was such a serious matter that both of us were summoned by the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Chidi Amuta. I was cautioned.
Sola’s action of abandoning production was in protest against the merger, particularly the ousting of the Sunday team’s inspiration, Ndaeyo. A rebel with a cause, Sola was!
He was not a run-of-the-mill reporter. He loved big stories. He loved adventures. He was daring, which were attributes that endeared him to the craziest but most professionally rewarding editor I ever had, Ndaeyo.
Do you remember the assassination attempt on the then Afenifere leader, Pa Abraham Adesanya in 1997? Sola dogged into that story as if his life depended on it, frequently visiting the residence of the old man near our offices in Apapa and his office on the Lagos Island to ferret information. Ndaeyo drilled Sola so hard to get to the root of how 40 bullet shots could be fired at the politician and he would rather remain calm in his unarmored Mercedes car. Not rattled, but reading newspaper!!!
Sola earlier reported with courage the reported bomb attempt on then Lagos State military administrator, Mohamed Buba Marwa. Ever so unbelieving until you convince him, Ndaeyo raised many queries on Sola’s report until he was satisfied to publish.
Sola loved and lived lives. After work at The Post Express, we had our watering hole where we lingered sometimes till the next morning. When I marked my 40th birthday, Sola was the life of the party when he arrived with many of our colleagues. One of his fond sayings: “Ago ke ke ke lo ye omoluabi (A gentleman should move around at small hours of the day… 1, 2, 3 o’clock)”.
When journalism lost Sola to politics, he was as devoted and passionate as he had been in that turf. He aggressively drove Dipo Dina’s campaign for Ogun State governorship, not minding the threats to his life. Even when his principal was believed to have been murdered, he pushed the matter of unravelling the death so vigorously.
To say that Sola will be sorely missed is an understatement. May God grant you peaceful rest, my buddy.
